Game Day: Western Kentucky
11/20/2024 3:10:00 PM | Football
Liberty (7-2, 4-2 CUSA) will host Western Kentucky (7-3, 5-1 CUSA) on Senior Day in a crucial conference matchup for both teams.
"4 Downs" with Western Kentucky
#1 Saturday's matchup with Western Kentucky marks Liberty's last home contest this season. The Flames have lost one CUSA game at Williams Stadium in 2024 (Oct. 30 vs. Jax State) and will look to avoid suffering multiple home conference losses for the first time since 2005 (0-2 in Big South). Liberty (No. 1) and WKU (No. 2) were the top two teams in the CUSA preseason poll.
#2 Liberty and WKU feature contrasting offensive styles. The Flames rank No. 5 nationally in rushing yards/game (249.8), while the Hilltoppers pass for a CUSA-best 267.9 yards per contest. Last year, the Flames rushed for 323 yards in their 42-29 victory in Bowling Green, Ky., while the Hilltoppers racked up 365 passing yards. Liberty has matched a program record with two OT games this season. They have not gone to OT in consecutive contests since 2014.
#3 It has been nearly three decades since WKU made its only previous visit to Williams Stadium (Nov. 18, 1995). Liberty defeated the Hilltoppers 49-36 on Senior Day, wrapping up its first eight-win season in seven years. The Flames rallied from a 20-7 halftime deficit to top UMass 35-34 in OT last Saturday, giving Liberty three wins this season in games it trailed by 13 points or more.
#4 Entering the last two weeks of the regular season, Liberty (4-2) and WKU (5-1) are two of four teams in contention for a berth in the CUSA Championship Game, along with Jax State (6-0) and Sam Houston (5-1). The Gamecocks and Bearkats square off Saturday at noon in Jacksonville, Ala.
A LIBERTY WIN WOULD...
Bowling 300
Liberty has rushed for 300 or more yards in each of the last two games. That is the third time under second-year head coach Jamey Chadwell that Liberty has posted consecutive 300-yard rushing games. Prior to his time at Liberty, the Flames had recorded back-to-back 300-yard rushing games just once (2004).
The Flames have rushed for 300 or more yards nine times under Jamey Chadwell, going 9-0 in those games. In the first 50 years of Liberty football history, the Flames posted 28 total 300-yard rushing games.
Overall in his head coaching career, Chadwell's teams are 35-0 when rushing for 300 or more yards and 7-0 when churning up 400 or more rushing yards.
Saturday Streak
Liberty is 14-0 on Saturday under second-year head coach Jamey Chadwell.
The Flames' only three losses in the last two seasons have come on Monday (Vrbo Fiest Bowl vs. Oregon) and Wednesday (Oct. 23, 2024 at Kennesaw State; Oct. 30, 2024 vs. Jacksonville State).
CUSA Success
Liberty went 8-0 in conference play last year, its first season in Conference USA. The Flames were the first CUSA team to win their first 11 regular-season Conference USA games as conference members prior to their loss to Kennesaw State, Oct. 23.
Overall, Liberty is 22-3 all-time against teams who were members of CUSA at time of meeting.
Still A Chance
Despite having two conference losses, Liberty would qualify for the Conference USA Championship Game with wins over WKU and Sam Houston. Western Kentucky is eyeing the Championship Game as well, at 5-1.
In the Championship Game era (since 2005), 10 times has a team made the Conference USA Championship Game with two losses, last North Texas in 2022.
A two-loss team is 3-7 all-time in Conference USA Championship Game history, with Southern Miss (2011), East Carolina (2008) and Tulsa (2005) all going on the road to win the title game.
4-0 vs. WKU
Liberty is 4-0 all-time against Western Kentucky in
football. WKU is the only Division I opponent which Liberty has faced at least four times without losing.
Comeback Kids
Liberty has trailed at some point in all nine games so far this year. The Flames have overcome deficits of 17 (Sept. 21 versus East Carolina), 14 (Sept. 7 at New Mexico State) and 13 points (Nov. 16 at UMass), in wins.
This is the first time in program history that Liberty has earned three wins in a season when overcoming deficits of 13 points or more in each game.
"4 Downs" with Western Kentucky
#1 Saturday's matchup with Western Kentucky marks Liberty's last home contest this season. The Flames have lost one CUSA game at Williams Stadium in 2024 (Oct. 30 vs. Jax State) and will look to avoid suffering multiple home conference losses for the first time since 2005 (0-2 in Big South). Liberty (No. 1) and WKU (No. 2) were the top two teams in the CUSA preseason poll.
#2 Liberty and WKU feature contrasting offensive styles. The Flames rank No. 5 nationally in rushing yards/game (249.8), while the Hilltoppers pass for a CUSA-best 267.9 yards per contest. Last year, the Flames rushed for 323 yards in their 42-29 victory in Bowling Green, Ky., while the Hilltoppers racked up 365 passing yards. Liberty has matched a program record with two OT games this season. They have not gone to OT in consecutive contests since 2014.
#3 It has been nearly three decades since WKU made its only previous visit to Williams Stadium (Nov. 18, 1995). Liberty defeated the Hilltoppers 49-36 on Senior Day, wrapping up its first eight-win season in seven years. The Flames rallied from a 20-7 halftime deficit to top UMass 35-34 in OT last Saturday, giving Liberty three wins this season in games it trailed by 13 points or more.
#4 Entering the last two weeks of the regular season, Liberty (4-2) and WKU (5-1) are two of four teams in contention for a berth in the CUSA Championship Game, along with Jax State (6-0) and Sam Houston (5-1). The Gamecocks and Bearkats square off Saturday at noon in Jacksonville, Ala.
A LIBERTY WIN WOULD...
- Keep the Flames unbeaten all-time against Western Kentucky at 5-0 and make the Hilltoppers just the third team Liberty has faced at least five times without a loss (also 6-0 vs. St. Paul's and 5-0 vs. Concord).
- Mark the Flames' 150th victory at Williams Stadium, making their all-time record 150-56 at the facility, which opened in 1989.
- Secure the Flames' sixth consecutive season with 8+ victories and the 16th in program history.
- Improve the Flames' all-time record vs. CUSA opponents (at time of meeting) to 23-3.
- Keep the Flames' hopes of a second straight trip to the CUSA Championship Game alive.
- Make Flames' November record under Chadwell 7-0.
- Keep the Flames unbeaten (15-0) in Saturday contests under Chadwell.
- Improve the Flames' all-time home record to 10-1 when facing opponents from Kentucky.
Bowling 300
Liberty has rushed for 300 or more yards in each of the last two games. That is the third time under second-year head coach Jamey Chadwell that Liberty has posted consecutive 300-yard rushing games. Prior to his time at Liberty, the Flames had recorded back-to-back 300-yard rushing games just once (2004).
The Flames have rushed for 300 or more yards nine times under Jamey Chadwell, going 9-0 in those games. In the first 50 years of Liberty football history, the Flames posted 28 total 300-yard rushing games.
Overall in his head coaching career, Chadwell's teams are 35-0 when rushing for 300 or more yards and 7-0 when churning up 400 or more rushing yards.
Saturday Streak
Liberty is 14-0 on Saturday under second-year head coach Jamey Chadwell.
The Flames' only three losses in the last two seasons have come on Monday (Vrbo Fiest Bowl vs. Oregon) and Wednesday (Oct. 23, 2024 at Kennesaw State; Oct. 30, 2024 vs. Jacksonville State).
CUSA Success
Liberty went 8-0 in conference play last year, its first season in Conference USA. The Flames were the first CUSA team to win their first 11 regular-season Conference USA games as conference members prior to their loss to Kennesaw State, Oct. 23.
Overall, Liberty is 22-3 all-time against teams who were members of CUSA at time of meeting.
Still A Chance
Despite having two conference losses, Liberty would qualify for the Conference USA Championship Game with wins over WKU and Sam Houston. Western Kentucky is eyeing the Championship Game as well, at 5-1.
In the Championship Game era (since 2005), 10 times has a team made the Conference USA Championship Game with two losses, last North Texas in 2022.
A two-loss team is 3-7 all-time in Conference USA Championship Game history, with Southern Miss (2011), East Carolina (2008) and Tulsa (2005) all going on the road to win the title game.
4-0 vs. WKU
Liberty is 4-0 all-time against Western Kentucky in
football. WKU is the only Division I opponent which Liberty has faced at least four times without losing.
Comeback Kids
Liberty has trailed at some point in all nine games so far this year. The Flames have overcome deficits of 17 (Sept. 21 versus East Carolina), 14 (Sept. 7 at New Mexico State) and 13 points (Nov. 16 at UMass), in wins.
This is the first time in program history that Liberty has earned three wins in a season when overcoming deficits of 13 points or more in each game.
Wednesday, May 13
Thursday, May 07
Thursday, April 30
Friday, April 24